Duly Noted...

After swapping large squares of hand-painted or stamped fabrics with a fiber group, my next challenge is how to use them. When I saw this beautiful hand-painted piece made by quilting friend Kandace, I knew I needed to free-motion quilt it with red metallic and neon yellow threads. I used bobbin quilting to keep the metallic thread from breaking as it went through the machine. Because the thread that will show is coming from the bobbin, a direct no-stress path, it means working from the wrong side of the project. I'd already done some quilting from the front side, so it helped define where to put the metallic stitching lines. The fabric is so abstract and modern, that I somehow really liked using the vintage image printed on fabric with it.

Once I finished quilting the piece, I combined it with this flocked denim to make a binder cover. Blue denim is the standard, but there are lots of other colors and prints in the fabric shop, so that was a welcome surprise.

Journals and notebooks are my "go-to" project for combining interesting materials along with notes and memorabilia. I had the opportunity recently to teach a journal making class at a quilt group. I brought along this display to show students the wide array of possibilities when making journals and whet their appetites.

And this display shows class samples. We made a gate-fold fabric journal with pockets to hold all sorts of note cards, post cards, and special mementos. The class was lots of fun, and most of the students had never made a journal before. I assured them that this would not be the last!

We collaged covers on a piece of felt, and then stitched on pockets on both the outside of the journal and the lining. So each journal holds quite a bit. This crazy-quilt style with a butterfly makes for an appealing cover.

I may have shown this notebook cover awhile back. But I like it so much that I've made several more. It covers a humble composition book and makes it look quite upscale. It's funny, but as many notebooks and journals as I make, I don't write in them very often. I guess I do my writing here on the blog. But coincidenatally, blogging friend Mary Stori also posted about making notebook covers this week. She does lovely work with wool and hand-printed fabrics. Check out her covers here. There is something very satisfying about making these journals and notebooks. I have lots more hand-prints, so I'm sure more notebooks will be coming soon. 

Let it Shine... Heart Sparkles

'Tis the season for heartfelt remembrances. I received this beautiful fiber art valentine from friend and fellow creative Robbie Payne at Robbie's Paw Prints blog. You can read more about her process there. She painted and stitched the background fabric, then added a fabric and paper combo heart. The foiling and the tiny bead edging along with Robbie's beautiful stitching just accent this perfectly. I so appreciate receiving this handmade and heartfelt greeting!

And this fabric-paper zipper pouch was a gift earlier this year from fiber artist Merri McKenzie. Her fabric paper is made meticulously with layer upon layer of paper and trims. I love the vintage feel of her little bag along with the glitzy accent of a tee-shirt ball bead all sequined and shiny. Handmade is just the best, isn't it?

Meanwhile, I'm still exploring handmade jewelry items. This beachy key chain is the result of tinkering with crafting charms. I think it needs just a little bit more, but don't want it too clunky to hang off the key. All this sparkly goodness makes my heart go pitty pat! How about you?

Sew Charming Again...

I'm so enamored with these charm necklaces that I signed up to take the Sew Charming class with Goatfeathers Studio for a second time. We made some new-to-me charms in this class. And I've got another sewing "statement necklace" to show for it. Such fun. 

One of the participants brought some beads from her mother's collection and shared them with all of us. I made the bead dangle next to the thimble using  the ones I chose. And the "mirror ball" bead I made with metal charms and findings along with a felted ball and shisha mirror purchased from Etsy several years ago. The glitzy rose is a found item that fell off a zipper pull on a jacket. Too pretty to toss. That's one thing I love about these necklaces- we can just look around the sewing room and spy objects that will make wonderful charms.

I added the "Bodacious Button" charm when I found it and the little sewing machine charm also hanging around the sewing room without a job to do. The small prayer flag charm was one of the new offerings in the workshop. It's made with a safety pin, a fabric scrap, and an embellishment selected from the class treasure chest- the flying angel cat!

Classmate and creative friend Ellen Casile Kostewicz of Eck Design took photos that really captured the day, and she gave me permission to use them here. So the rest of the pics in this post are hers. I get too excited in a class and forget to take photos! Upon our arrival, the classroom was all set up with work stations for each of us. The home/studio setting is so inviting and spacious.

I always appreciate seeing lots of samples for inspiration, and instructors Celeste Beck and Merri McKenzie have been making these necklaces at an impressive rate! Every one is unique and lovely. This display just got the creative juices flowing.

One thing they do that makes the day extra special is to provide us with lunch and a grand dessert. Celeste sets a beautiful table and her home always reflects the season with colorful and hand-crafted accents.

Actually, she sets two tables for our fairly large group. Chicken on a bed of greens with strawberries and goat cheese for lunch, and delicious homemade bread pudding for dessert.

This photo shows Ellen's array of charms made in the class. We made more than a dozen to add to our necklaces. It's impossible to choose a favorite, but the little bird's nest shown in the second row, third from right, may be mine. They are such fun to make and, depending on the beads used for the eggs, they all look so different.

I hope you enjoyed this class tour. And I'll be busy in the sewing room making more... and more.. and more of these.